title: OsKAT2 is the prevailing functional inward rectifier potassium channels in rice guard cell.
abstract: AtKAT1 plays roles as a major channel to uptake K(+) in guard cell when stomata open in dicot model plant Arabidopsis. In a recent publication, we isolated 3 KAT-like potassium channels in rice. We expressed them in CHO cell to identify electrophysiological characteristics of the channels. OsKAT2 showed much bigger inwardly rectifying potassium channel activities among them. The histochemical X-glu staining of transgenic rice leaf blades expressing β-glucuronidase fused with OsKAT2 promoter showed that the OsKAT2 is dominantly expressed in rice guard cell. These findings indicate that OsKAT2 may be a functional ortholog of AtKAT1 in rice. Thus this gene will be the prime target for engineering the guard cell movement to improve drought tolerance in monocot plants, including most major crops.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Breeding; National Academy of Agricultural Science; Rural Development Administration; Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyunsik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Breeding; National Academy of Agricultural Science; Rural Development Administration; Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology; Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine; Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Hana
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Breeding; National Academy of Agricultural Science; Rural Development Administration; Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Beom-Gi
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D017930:Genes, Reporter; D005966:Glucuronidase / Q000378:metabolism; D012275:Oryza / Q000166:cytology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D054046:Plant Stomata / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying / Q000378:metabolism*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D036226:Seedlings / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D005966:Glucuronidase
keywords: OsKAT; guard cell; inward rectifier potassium channel; shaker like potassium channel; stomatal movement